Container



l Get. 10,1944. c. M. HANNAFORD CONTAINER Filed April 8, 1941 IFI lNv N'T R ndfr BY f/MW Patented Oct. 10, 1944 CONTAINER Cleon M. Hannaford, Toledo, Ohio; Marie L. Hannaford executrix of said Cleon M. Hannaford,

deceased Application April 8, 1941, Serial No. 387,477

1 Claim.

The invention contemplates a drinking container having a greater area at its base than at its drinking edge and when not in use having its drinking edge suspended in air rendering the same more stable and sanitary.`

The invention embraces'a hollow receptacle adapted for drinking purposeshaving an open end of smaller diameter than its'clos'edend and when placed in a position to prevent theingress Aof foreign substances to the inner compartment the open end is suspended in air.

The invention includes as oneof its objects a drinking containerwhich isvery stable having a comparatively low center of gravity either empty or filled with fluid by providinga base which is of greater area than its drinking end.

A still further yobject of the'invention is. the provision of 'a drinking vessel of `frusto-conical formation having a base of larger diameter than that of its drinking end and its outer intermediate surface being provided with a peripheral ridge. f

Further objects and advantages are Within the lscope of this invention such as relate to the arrangement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economies of manufacture and. numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specication and drawing of a form of the invention, which may be preferred, in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view illustrating a drinking receptacle or container and a form of support therefor of my invention; l

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the container and support illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1 with the drinking receptacle shown partly in section;

Figure 4 illustrates a modified form of drinking receptacle of my invention;

Figure illustrates a modied form of drinking receptacle support forming a part of my invention;

Figure 6 is a top plan view showing another form of supporting means for receiving a plurality of drinking receptacles in stored or normally inverted positions;

Figure 'l is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 1 1 of Figure 6.

While I have illustrated forms of my invention embodied in drinking receptacles and supports therefor, it is to be understood that I contemplate the application of my invention to containers and supports therefor for other purposes Wherever the same may be found to have utility.

Referring to the drawing in detail and first with respect to the form of the invention shown in Figures l to 3 inclusive, the receptacle Il) is illustrated in stored or normally inverted position and being carried in a support l2. The drinking receptacle l0 is of frusto-conical formation preferably having a gradual and uniform flare from its open end toward its closed end in which base i3 is of greater dimension or diameter than that of the lip or pouring portion lll, the side walls l5 being of tapered configuration as illustrated. The side walls and base of the receptacle are preferably made of uniform thickness as shown in Figure 3, although a -varying thickness of walls or base for the receptacle may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A form of support l2 illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 is preferablyformed of Wire having a circular or annular portion l1 to receive the drinking receptacle Ill in inverted position as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The wire extends rearwardly of the receptacle lll and has its extremities formed into curved configuration as shown at lI9 and 20 in Figure 3 to form eyes 2l adapted to receive retaining screws 22 for securing the support to a wall 23 or other suitable surface. The portions 24 and 25 of the support are preferably bent in opposite directions as shown in Figures 1 and 3 in order Vto impart stability to the support.

` It is contemplated that the container be stored in the support, and therefore, there are several advantages in the applicants invention when the container if! is retained in support I2, the mouth or lip portion it is suspended in air and entirely out of contact with any surface such as a sink, drain board or shelf, therefore the drinking or pouring edge of the container will not become contaminated with foreign substances. Furthermore, the receptacle being in inverted position there is no possibility of the settling of dust, dirt and other foreign matter within the receptacle, thus giving greatly improved sanitation for receptacles of this character.

When the drinking receptacle I0 is in position of use, it is noted that the base portion I3 is of comparatively large area so that the lower portion of the receptacle contains more iiuid than the upper portion resulting in a lowering of the center of gravity of the receptacle either when it is empty or filled with uid. This is a distinct, advantage because it requires considerably more force to up- Figure 4 illustrates a modied design of the container wherein the container I is formed with a peripheral bead or ridge 21 which may be proportioned to engage the annular or ringshaped portion of the supportl `I1 when the receptacle is placed therein. In the arrangement shown Vin Figure 4 with the container in use, theY bead 21 provides a surface which may be grasped by a person using the container to enhance the effectiveness of the grip upon the container.

Figure illustrates a form of support l2 fabricated from wire or the like suitable for accommodating several containers of the type shown in Figure 1 and Figure 4. The central portion 30 of the support I2 is congurated so as to receive a comparatively large drinking receptacle while the loop portions 3| are arranged to receive smaller receptacles of the same general character. The support I2 has the same construction of projections 24 for securing the container support to a suitable surface. It is to be noted that in the f effectively used-as a serving tray when the conformsrof support shown in Figures 1 and 5 they Y are composed of a single piece of wire bent to the 'proper configuration, thus simplifying the manutainers are filled with liquid by utilizing the inner face of the uniplanar portion 36 as a carrying surfacev in View of the fact that the openings formed thereon are of smaller size than the base of the containers.

The several forms of containers of my invention illustrated in the drawing may be fabricated of any suitable material as forl example, glass, any of the plastics or phenol formaldehyde produc-ts or any material which may be molded or worked to the proper configuration.

It is apparent that, within the scope of the invention, modifications and different arrangements may be made other than is herein disclosed, and the present disclosure is illustrative merely, the invention comprehending all variations thereof.

What I claim is:

A drinkin-g vessel of hollow formation having a closed end; the main body portion of said receptacle of substantially uniform thickness; the open end being of smaller diameter than the closed end; the side walls flaring outwardly from the open end to the closed end; and a peripheral ridge formed on said side walls intermediate said ends.

CLEON M. HANNAFORD. 

